stashers- how do you decide what to project to tackle next?

[leesespieces]

i'm staring at this big tub of yarn, along with the box of yarn that just arrived from knitting-warehouse.com, and thinking about the yarn i've got in the truck of my car (shhh), and i'm lost. how does everyone decide what project they're going to start next?

[lhasaapsolady]

I always have several things going at one time. Currently I have 7 projects started. If I'm looking at one of my many books or mags, or even surfing the web, when I see something that catches my eye I go and see if I have the materials then start it within a day or 2.

[Kimi]

i have 3 active projects going now!

 

i have WAY too much yarn, i tend to impulse buy, and am thinking of making up a box of yarn i impulsed bought and KNOW i wont use and clearing it out to anyone that wants it.

 

i see novelty yarn and buy it...and then never use it, because overall, i dont care to work with some of the novelty yarns...i guess im still too much of a beginner, and, to me, its a nuisance to not be able to see my stitches...and that happens with some of the different yarns.

[Daisy]

When I look at my stash of yarn and want to make something, I just browse through my pattern books and see what tickles my fancy.....then I get the hooks ready to go.

[Yelutci]

I let my kids pick the colors & yarns they like from my stash box & then come up with a hat/scarf/blanket/poncho etc. to make with their choices. Right now I'm working on ponchos for my 2 daughters. One will have stripes of 5 different greens and the other with a magenta/orange/yellow varigated yarn and then stripes of yellows & oranges. Sometimes they pick out yarns to make gifts for their baby cousin, too. The finished product usally turns out more special since they've had some design input.

[sandyrepope]

I just look through my patterns and see what stirs my imagination. I then look to see if I've got the colors or some colors that I think would look good and then get going.

 

I usually have several projects going at the same time so if I lose interest or having a difficult time with one I can set it aside and work on something else until I'm ready to go back to that project.

[funkyreporter]

Well, I'm all about having multiple projects going at any one time...

 

In deciding what to start I pull out a random pattern book, or my three-ring binder of printed out patterns and I just start looking... Usually I've marked patterns of particular interest with a post-it so I'll look for those sticking out the top of the books...

 

Once I've decided, I grab the hook, the yarn, the pattern and start working on it... if it doesn't give me the 'rush' I'm looking for, I frog it, wrap the yarn, grab the patterns, and start again. I will sometimes go through this routine four or five times before I find THE pattern that I want to do next.

 

Yes, it's nuts, but you asked!

[christinascrochethaven]

i have 3 active projects going now!

 

i have WAY too much yarn, i tend to impulse buy, and am thinking of making up a box of yarn i impulsed bought and KNOW i wont use and clearing it out to anyone that wants it.

 

i see novelty yarn and buy it...and then never use it, because overall, i dont care to work with some of the novelty yarns...i guess im still too much of a beginner, and, to me, its a nuisance to not be able to see my stitches...and that happens with some of the different yarns.

 

Just advice to offer...take it or leave it

I like novelty yarn, but sometimes it's hard to see. If you use it with other yarns, it's easier.

I've made afghans and hats and scarves like this. You can still have the fun, but it's easier to see with another yarn.

The other thing I've found is to use easy stitches like V stitch, V doubles stitch and shells. It's easy to see where you are than with sc or dc by itself.

I've also used the novelty yarn to edge things, not for the whole project.

[Carol]

i'm staring at this big tub of yarn, along with the box of yarn that just arrived from knitting-warehouse.com, and thinking about the yarn i've got in the truck of my car (shhh), and i'm lost. how does everyone decide what project they're going to start next?

 

I'm so glad to hear that other people store yarn in the trunk of their cars, too.

[leesespieces]

I'm so glad to hear that other people store yarn in the trunk of their cars, too.

 

shhh... it's HIDING there... i went out and bought it right after my boyfriend bought some, and it won't fit in my tub, so i have to hide it until i can just kinda slip it in here lol...but i'm about to add to it today LOL

[CLLinda]

When I look at my stash of yarn and want to make something, I just browse through my pattern books and see what tickles my fancy.....then I get the hooks ready to go.

 

I am the same way. Sometimes, the inspiration just comes because I find out someone is having a baby. Or the Holidays are coming. Or I just know how cute that would be in this.....yarn. So I give it a try.

 

I have been rather boring lately and only working on one or two projects at a time. Mostly hats and baby things (for the school Auction) but now that I am done with the school Auction stuff, I may just go get some yarn and make my new MIL to-be a nice afghan for Christmas.

 

Whatever strikes my mood or my fancy is how I decide.

 

Linda:manyheart

[Kimi]

Just advice to offer...take it or leave it

I like novelty yarn, but sometimes it's hard to see. If you use it with other yarns, it's easier.

I've made afghans and hats and scarves like this. You can still have the fun, but it's easier to see with another yarn.

The other thing I've found is to use easy stitches like V stitch, V doubles stitch and shells. It's easy to see where you are than with sc or dc by itself.

I've also used the novelty yarn to edge things, not for the whole project.

 

thank you shaelynn...that is great advice, i appreciate it..

[Krystal16]

I guess I go about it a different way than most of you. I can SEE all of my yarn, as it's organized in view in a closet. I pull up a chair, shine on the light and observe with a weird squint to my eyes. After a while, sort of like one of those "Magic Eye" pictures, I get a feel for what hue I have a lot of, and start pulling out skeins that match. I weigh them to see what I've got and how big I can make something, if I have even amounts of the yarns, etc. THEN I go looking for a pattern that my yarn will look good with.

 

I didn't realize everyone else did it the other way until now....